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Pastor Orhan Picaklar Photo from Compass Direct |
Pray that the charges against Pastor Pickalar will be dropped and that he will be released. Ask God to thwart the attempts of those who seek to intimidate Christians in Turkey through violence, threats and false accusations.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Turkey, go to the Turkey Country Report.
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Population
83,593,483 (2023 est.)
Ethnicity (%)
Turkish (70-75), Kurdish (19), other minorities (7-12)
Religion (%)
Islam (99.8), other (0.2)
Leader
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2014)
Government type
Parliamentary republic
Legal system
Civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems
Sources: CIA World Factbook
Prayerfully uphold those who have had their churches and places of worship taken over by a government that does not represent their beliefs, values or ordinances. Ask the Lord to oversee the mediation process as church officials and government representatives endeavour to work out a solution that is both honouring to Him and fair to all the members of the various churches. Despite the challenges experienced by the believers of this country, may they have a sense of God's reassuring presence and peace, knowing that one day He will reign supremely and justly over the entire earth.
On the morning of January 28th, two gunmen entered the Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul, Türkiye. Wearing masks, the men walked into the church, shot into the air, and then killed one person. Security footage shows the gun apparently jamming just before the men left.
In the wake of the recent devastating earthquake, the focus of the world lately has been on Türkiye and northern Syria where, at the time of composing this Persecution & Prayer Alert report, more than 20,000 people have died as a result of the catastrophe. In addition, tens of thousands of survivors have been left homeless amid the cold of winter. Reports from Christians in an affected area reveal the extensive suffering taking place due to the loss of loved ones and the tremendous need for surviving victims to receive blankets, food and other important necessities required to sustain life.
Last year, at least thirty-five foreign Christian workers were expelled from Turkey, as their permits had been either revoked or denied renewal. So far this year, the number of those forced to leave the country has already reached sixteen. The latest of those workers are Joy Subaşıgüller and Pastor Zach Balon, both from the United States.
A Christian teacher has been dismissed from her teaching job after the press accused her of conducting missionary activities through social media. Esma Bağci Kaya had been teaching religion and morality at the Hasan Fatma Onal Anadolu High School, a private school in Kusadasi, for the past two years.
